Eleventh Plan Achievements on Inclusive Growth

The following are some important indicators showing the extent to which the Eleventh Plan succeeded in fulfilling the objective of inclusive growth. (In some cases, where the data relate to the NSSO surveys, the time period for comparison is before and after 2004–05.)

  • GDP growth in the Eleventh Plan 2007–08 to 2011–12 was 7.9% compared with 7.6% in the Tenth Plan (2002–03 to 2006–07) and only 5.7% in the Ninth Plan (1997–98 to 2001–02). The growth rate of 7.9% in the Eleventh Plan period is one of the highest of any country in that period which saw two global crises.
  • Agricultural GDP growth accelerated in the Eleventh Plan, to an average rate of 3.3%, compared with 2.4% in the Tenth Plan, and 2.5% in the Ninth Plan.
  • The percentage of the population below the poverty line declined at the rate of 1.5 percentage points (ppt) per year in the period 2004–05 to 2009–10, twice the rate at which it declined in the previous period 1993–94 to 2004–05.
  • The rate of growth of real consumption per capita in rural areas in the period 2004–05 to 2011–12 was 3.4% per year which was four times the rate in the previous period 1993–94 to 2004–05.
  • The rate of unemployment declined from 8.2% in 2004–05 to 6.6% in 2009–10 reversing the trend observed in the earlier period when it had actually increased from 6.1% in 1993–94 to 8.2% in 2004–05.
  • Rural real wages increased 6.8% per year in the Eleventh Plan (2007–08 to 2011–12) compared to an average 1.1% per year in the previous decade, led largely by the government’s rural policies and initiatives.
  • Complete immunization rate increased by 2.1 ppt per year between 2002–04 and 2007–08, compared to a 1.7 ppt fall per year between 1998–99 and 2002–04. Similarly, institutional deliveries increased by 1.6 ppt per year between 2002–04 and 2007–08 higher than the 1.3 ppt increase per year between 1998–99 and 2002–04.
  • Net enrolment rate at the primary level rose to a near universal 98.3 per cent in 2009–10. Dropout rate (classes I–VIII) also showed improvements, falling 1.7 ppt per year between 2003–04 and 2009–10, which was twice the 0.8 ppt fall between 1998–99 and 2003–04.

Inclusive Growth Definitions

OECD: Inclusive growth is where the gap between the rich and the poor is less pronounced and the “growth dividend” is shared in a fairer way that results in “improvements in living standards and outcomes that matter for people’s quality of life (e.g. good health, jobs and skills, clean environment, community support).

The World Bank: The World Bank defines inclusive growth by its pace and pattern – growth that is sufficient to lift large numbers out of poverty and growth that includes the largest part of the country’s labour force in the economy.

The International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG): It places its emphasis on participation – so that in addition to sharing in the benefits of growth, people actively participate in the wealth process and have a say in the orientation of that process.

ADB: Inclusive growth is about raising the pace of growth and enlarging the size of the economy, while leveling the playing field for investment and increasing productive employment opportunities, as well as ensuring fair access to them. It allows every section of the society to participate in and contribute to the growth process equally, irrespective of their circumstances.”

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